My Treasure
by Shelia13
Summary: Sailing the open sea's never seemed like such a bad idea, not to Sting of course, well that is until Rogue accidentally kidnaps a woman. Now, not only do they have to escape a kidnapping organization but struggle to make ends-meat as one of the mightiest pirate brigades of the might open-seas.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Commotion & Nonpareil**

The captain's quarters of the ship slammed for what would be the first time of several that day. Not all by the same person, most of these door slams would be made by the pirate-captain of the Sabertooth ship when he had discovered the treachery that took place the night before. But, currently the one slamming this poor soon to be abused door was the pirate ship's second-in-command Rogue Cheney as he stormed out of the room. Capable of avoiding strange looks from SaberTooth's crew since no one had arisen from their own chambers yet except for the mindful few who had awoken to look out for the ship's sleepwalkers to make sure that they never go overboard in their sleep. Which sadly had happened on too many occasions to count. But that wasn't the point right now. Currently the issue at hand was the dark haired pirate storming down the ship's exit into the just awakening city streets that was still covered in the morning darkness.

"Come on Rogue! Man! I wasn't serious! I don't even know what I said!" Sting shouted swinging open the door to the captain's chambers and walking towards the exit where Rogue had already made his way down as Sting looked over the edge of the boat. "Good for you. But, I do." Rogue replied looking swiftly towards the captain before storming off into town to cool his head. Such a trivial matter. Something that he would normally brush off. Why of all times had he felt infuriated now? Why? He knew the answer. It wasn't something he wanted to hear out loud. That was the only reason. Sting had been joking like he usually was. Joking about wearing eye patches. How pathetic was that to get mad over? Sting had chosen the wrong drink for dinner. Well more like grabbed the drink that wasn't his but was stil sitting next to him as he partied it up with the rest of the crew. And that's how Rogue had wound up in Sting's room all night, guarding him, to make sure he didn't do something stupid while highly intoxicated. Even as a captain Sting was still incredibly idiotic at points in time. That's why he needed such a crew. One that contained a sleepwalking female ship navigator, a red-eyed first mate, an idotic captain, and several other people within this crew of his. Without _**everyone**_ Captain Sting would've wound up shark bait a good long time ago, even with the said taboo of having women out on the water causing boats to wreck. Every single person must be there or the crew was doomed. Rogue sighed. He would return later. After he blew off some steam by wandering around the city. Surely there were some sword shops with some etiquette that he could browse through. Maybe even lift a few swords for the taking. They never knew when they might run into another pirate ship or two.

What was he thinking? Going to loot some stores by himself when he should've been guarding the highly intoxicated captain of the ship hoping that Sting wasn't sitting there with his arm stretched out crying "Rogue don't go!" like in those highly drawn out plays that Sting liked to drag his...well.."entourage" with him. An entourage of girl's that he always seemed to attract whenever within a city or two. It was quite a pain. He would eventually drag them out to a play, but the worst part? The truth. Sting wasn't actually interested in the girl's. Sting just wanted to sneak out and see a good play. Which usually wound up a romance that he wound up drunk reenacting. As a one man show. It was quite interesting to watch at times. Rogue turned to go back to the ship, hopefully no one was up yet. If anyone found out what Sting was doing someone was going to wind up in a dress for the amusement of the crew. And no one dared touch the leader of the SaberTooth ship. Hopefully it wasn't too late for such a tragedy to be avoided. " _With those eyes...these days all the girls will be afraid of you..let's try and put eye patches over both eyes." Sting hiccupped as he glanced towards Rogue watching Rogue become angry without so much as noticing as Sting babbled on about how he could help get some of the girl's off of him if he were to just hide his eyes._ There was no way such a thing was true. Seriously for the first man to say he shouldn't care about how his eyes looked...to say something such as that that affected him. Sting should've known. Being the first person to accept him for his "different" eye color.

A sound cut into Rogue's thoughts-feet pounded on the streets as heavy breathing echoed within the air, screams of confusion echoing through the streets, as chains pulled down various food carts. Hands were reaching for brunette hair as it echoed in the wind struggling to stay hidden within the daylight as she crashed head-first into his chest falling to the floor.

The girl blinked up at him, teal eyes echoed as he scanned her over the metal clinking coming from her wrist..handcuffs with an orange seal around them. A large orange bubble letter "C" with two points sticking out at the end and three disconnected matching squares in the space of the C as the girl stared up at him..a barely working for her anymore ripped and torn green "dress" if that's what anyone had wanted to call it as her raggedy hair dripped past her shoulders. He blinked at her. She was an obviously escaped slave. _Someone's possession._ A frown forming on her lips as she attempted to stand obviously covered in bruises and cuts. From more than a rough day at work. "Thank you sir! _**It**_ escaped early this morning! I've been working to catch what's mine since early this morning!" The blonde with obviously groomed hair and formal wear approached. "Mother would've been so disappointed if I let _**this**_ go. Such a hard worker when you motivate _**it**_ you know." The boy laughed talking to him as if he thought they were on the same level. _Someone's possession._ Echoed through Rogue's head once again. "Thank you for catching _**it**_ , I'll make sure you get your rewards delivered to your home shortly after returning _**it**_ to my mother." The blonde said reaching out for the girl that Rogue was helping up. She wasn't that much younger than he was himself as she placed both her hands within his hands. A smirk coming to Rogue's lips. "I don't think you know who you're dealing with." Rogue smiled looking towards the blonde who seemed startled. "I'll send you as much gold as you want! Giver _**it**_ back please! My mother paid good money to make sure she had _**it**_ from where _**it**_ was kept." The boy sighed seeming agitated already with the chase. The girl glanced inbetween the two obviously already confused by the ordeal that was going on currently. "I may be a pirate but I don't _just_ like gold. I like to take. I especially like to take things from others." He smiled a plan obviously forming within his glowing red eyes as he swiftly reached out and picked up the now _**former**_ slave of this city. Moving back to the ship with such speed not a person could match it within this city. Now that he had claimed something valuable to him. His treasure...

 _His_ Nonpareil.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Idiots & Ship Captains**

Commotion echoed through the ship as Rogue finally settled the idea of returning "home" to his now sober ship-captain, carrying his well fought for prize, who still hadn't smiled nor said a single thing once. He set her down at the top of the entrance wanting to gather her actual clothes, the problem? Absolute chaos reigned throughout the ship. "What's going on here?" He demanded stopping a crew member who babbled that someone was missing and how Sting was rampaging over the situation. Rogue looked towards-the girl he had kidnapped, realizing he didn't know her name-attempting to ignore her pulling on her ripped green tunic and cuclean eyes plotting escape. "Who's gone missing?" Rogue sighed finding a handkerchief on board as he attempted to whip his hand free of his combatant's internal liquid before charging to the rescue for the overly attached emotional pirate ship captain. Rogue's eyes glanced around the boat as several people fell over boxes and others dug through them. "Where did she go?" One shouted as the other dug threw a box falling in it themselves. "Sting." Rogue sighed looking at the now sober ship captain whose blue eyes were glancing wildly around trying to get a headcount on everyone. "I keep counting everyone...but its the right number of shipmates...I can't find her though...I can't find her...our navigator!" Sting said still glancing around apparently mumbling to himself probably feeling utterly responsible as the ship's captain to find his missing crewmate.

"I knew she sleep walked onto the deck like every night! But I never thought she'd fall overboard!"

"Relax, she probably went into town to get breakfast or something."

"She wouldn't of gone alone! Not in a town like this! Its my fault! I should've never let her sleep alone!"

"Sting! That's not the problem here!"

"Well, if I was with her she might've not gone overboard!"

"Well, if you paid attention to your crew maybe she wouldn't of left!"

"I pay plenty of attention to my crew! I'm the captain! I've never driven anyone off of my ship in anger!"

"Oh...low..." the crew whispered as they gathered a crowd, quick glances at Rogue to see if he would relitate at Sting's grave mistake for injuring the _Shadow Captain's_ pride. The devastating man that had earned the title " _Shadow Captain"_ the title of a man that appeared in his enemy's darkest nightmares. Everyone glanced between their Ship Captain, Sting, and his second-in-command, right-hand man, Rogue. A silence passed through the crew. "I'm not even going to handle this right now." Rogue grumbled with a quick glance at the girl in the green tunic, beckoning her to follow. Her hesitant footsteps hesitantly followed quickly attempting to ignore the sideways glances towards their new crew member as Rogue went to find her some _actual_ clothes, still. They both walked further into the ship looking for the rooms upon the ship with Sting quickly following. "Wait! Rogue! Help me find her!" Sting's voice came out whining as he stared down the hallway of the ship that they were already moving down. "Who even is this girl?" Sting asked pulling the girl back whom made a startled movement and yet no noise. "Mine." Rogue said pulling her closer the faint jingle from her wrists echoing as she attempted to hide them even without her sleeves. "Rogue! There are some things we need to talk about before you try to elope or something!" Sting shouted causing the female to pull away from both of them and crawl into a corner next to Rogue's door. "Sting!" Rogue grumbled annoyed that the ship captain had scared the girl. "Captain! The military is invading our ship!" A crew member screamed in a bloody rage interrupting the conversation.

"Seriously?! Why now?!" Sting shouted storming off ready to get the confusion off of his face by a good brawl. "Let's get you some actual clothes, we can at least hopefully disguise you as the apparently missing-in-action navigator" Rogue explained beginning to dig through the clothes. "I'll get you your own later." Rogue explained handing her clothes from the missing navigator. "I'll be back get changed quickly." He said heading out to the faint echo of Sting's shouting heard from the deck. "We're traders! Of course we've got a lot of stuff!" Sting shouted footsteps echoing down the hall as Rogue opened the door with a heavy looking metal pliers in hand. "They'll take you back if its obvious." He grumbled attempting to clip the chains around this girl's wrist away as he threw a makeshift headband around her wrist to cover up the bruising from the handcuffs.

"This should hide the bruising." He said looking at the girl's worried eyes as she knew what was happening. What was going threw her mind only one person knew, and she wasn't speaking. She had probably been-no definitely-been told that if she were ever "stolen" by pirates that she would be used as entertainment or have even less choices than she did as a slave. Thousands of terms and words of endearment went threw his head. Words that would make anyone else feel safe. "Do you want your freedom?" He said finding the words pour out of his mouth. A freedom that wasn't his to offer...but to steal for her. She looked towards him eyes considering carefully the deal she was about to make. If she even wanted to answer. A knock came at the door as the chains finally fell to the floor, she nodded. "Hey!" Sting shouted obviously feeling violated that the army was just going around casually on _his_ ship as the door was kicked down. "May I help you?" Rogue asked standing up towards the intruders, chains quickly hidden within his wrist pocket.

"What are you doing? Aren't you the second-in-command?"

"Yes I am, that means it is important that I find my sleepwalking crewmate while the captain does the best to appease you." Rogue said gesturing towards the door on the floor, standing up, but not implying that this girl was the sleepwalker.

"We're looking for a slave that goes by the title Cecilia."

"I do not know one."

"We're watching you, you match the thief perfectly. And Cecilia's noble owner would be very pleased to have his head even if its a counterfeit to appease him for a bit. And the noble is really pissed something of his was stolen."

"He never cared for slaves." Sting shouted obviously annoyed his second-in-command that he was secretly overprotective of was being threatened.

"Of course not! He cares for what's his and who's stupid enough to steal his stuff."

"Have you seen her or not?"

"She's probably robbing the local market right now! He half starves those slaves!"

"There's just two! Probably not!"

"Yes they are! Mine-as-well be illegal! They're both starved I've seen them, such a shame in the market places attempting to trade for some of my goods and don't even have a morsel of bread for themselves! Check the market not my ship!" Sting argued already seeming annoyed.

"Hey! Someone catch her!" A voice shouted clearing the ship as the invaders spun around on the docks attempting to find the missing slave in the market. "Pull the anchors and entrance the minute they're out of sight! The minute they realize that shout was a hoax they'll storm our ship!" Sting shouted quickly into command of his ship as Rogue glanced at the extra clothes in another's clothing.

"Cecilia? Is that you're name?"

She nodded as Rogue handed her a skirt and a top fit for the tropical weather they were about to sail into. "Its not much but it should do for now. Just think of it as the first of many things that will be considered your's." He sighed attempting to explain as she nodded waiting for Rogue to leave the room. Rogue turned to shut the door watching the frown deepened upon her face as she stared at her still chained wrists trying to figure out how she would hide such horrible abominations. Rogue clicked the door shut to turned to walk towards Sting whom was grinding his teeth watching the ship sail on the horizon. "For all we know we're stranding her here." The captain grumbled as Rogue nodded. "Its for the best, she's capable of hiding in the crowd, normal enough, unless they're looking for her...Its best the crew is free to find her." Rogue explicated as the captain sighed nodding in agreement. "I...need my pills.." The motion sick captain whispered running a hand threw his blonde hair as his blue eyes were already beginning to show the first-signs of dizziness and barely beginning able to get enough air as he leaned on the railing.

"First there's something I need to tell you."

"Make it quick."

"I kidnapped a girl this morning."

"Oh good job...wait what?"

"I kidnapped a girl this morning."

"Rogue!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Rogue! We just don't do that! That's completely uncivilized!" Sting said pacing back and forth in the captain's quarters as he continued to glance at Cecilia, whom blinked up him, still not smiling, not speaking. "Okay...we could...No, we already told them we don't have her...it can't be like we return and are like 'oh by the way forgot to tell you.'" Sting continued grumbling towards the girl quickly looking her over to see what she was like. The blonde ship captain glanced towards their new "shipmate" for now to see what she looked like. Brunette hair down towards her waist hitting her catastrophic forest green tattered dress, foam green eyes, just barely Rogue's age possibly a year or two younger, and bruised wrists obviously from being a slave before. Sting felt his hands move before his mind could process such a thing watching as Rogue went to move already becoming twitchy and insecure of himself as Sting flipped over the girl's wrist. _It was there._ Sting felt his grimace obviously showing on his face as she looked down in shame as his eyes glanced over the symbol engraved into her arm right under where her handcuffs were. A scar in the delicate shape of a "C" with three points sticking out of it as if they were tails. He glanced over her again already covered in bruises, scratches and what seemed to be blade marks. Typical marks he saw in his life that were from various sword battles, sparing, and combatants with militants and other pirates. _"Those were from sparring."_ Sting told himself feeling his eyes linger upon the blood splatter that edged the green dress or even the cuts that were obviously not where a clean fight would be. " _Mere sparring"_ Sting told himself again glancing back towards the symbol carved into her right arm that would've been were her shackle was...

Great. Rogue had kidnapped a slave...That was associated with one of the most powerful slave organizations on the continent. "Rogue, let's talk about this." Sting said quickly standing up and dragging Rogue out by the collar shutting the front door to his room.

"There's nothing to talk about. She's staying." Rogue grumbled as Sting could feel his hands twitch struggling not to slap his own face at what Rogue had done.

"Rogue...I know you had the best of intentions..Probably saw the innocent girl steal food or something...but Rogue have you any idea what you've done to our ship?!" Sting grumbled looking directly towards the red eyes that haunted **most** people's nightmares but only the nightmares of the strangers who had seen him flashed with a strange mix of worry, anger, and rebellion. Sting knew it. It was completely obvious. Rogue was absolutely fearful. Rogue was absolutely terrified of losing something important to him. There was no way that Sting was going to let him go through that. "You've endangered all of your crewmates! _That_ organization, can, and will come after us...those people paid good money for that girl...she's obviously been held captive for quite sometime...do you know what happens to the people that the organization has to go after to recapture one of their 'prizes'?" Sting asked beginning to pace waiting for Rogue to answer in the silence. Sting waited. Rogue was looking at him as if he hadn't understand what he had meant as Sting took a breath. "They take prisoners...more slaves...it means more money." Sting grumbled.

"And you think _**your**_ crew couldn't fight off a few simple slave traders?" Rogue asked as Sting stopped his pacing swirling on the back of his foot.

"Yes! Yes, I think my crew can fight them off! But I am no mere idiot that is a large powerful organization...I am trying to measure the safety of _**our**_ crew over _**one**_ girl's tiny life being possible altered." Sting grumbled obviously in a complete moral complex as the pacing begun again.

" _WE_ can fight! We're strong enough! Are you telling me you're in capable of helping me protect one girl?" Rogue rebelled quickly.

"Where do you see Amanda, our navigator? Do you see her anywhere around here?" Sting shouted back towards Rogue arms flaring in the air as the captain struggled to contain his composure that was obviously slipping by the moment.

"Well, there isn't much we can do now is there!? I'm taking her to my room and that's final!" Rogue growled rolling his eyes, one decision in his entire life without asking the oh-so-famous captain of their ship, and oh-so-great Captain Sting was reacting like that one decision was going to kill them all. Rogue grabbed Cecilia's hand pulling her silently towards his quarters.

"Rogue! We aren't done talking about this yet!" Sting called as a bottle blonde appeared behind him touching his shoulder as she whispered a few words causing the captain to regain his composure and head out of the cabins towards whatever was going on outside of the small ship hallways.

"Where's the next stop?" Rogue asked anxiously towards another crewmate whom seemed to be passing down the hall.

"Magnolia, sir, we should be there in approximately a little less than an hour." The crewmate laughed, took a glance at Cecilia, fleeing the scene with a wink and a nod.

"Cecilia, I know this doesn't seem like the place to stay and be happy, but I feel that you'll learn to understand this place." Rogue said as the girl nodded silently observing the world that she was quickly learning to experience. "I can't offer much but I can offer you food and a room to stay." Rogue said opening the door already understanding what her reaction would be. "I'll be back soon, Captain Sting looked unhappy with whatever is going down." Rogue explained scurrying off leaving Cecilia behind to observe her new room. "Sting what's going on?" Rogue asked walking out into the main area of the ship.

"There's a storm coming and we're not too sure how far away we are from our next stop." Sting grumbled looking at the map once again as Rogue reached over flipping the map to the proper direction. "So, where exactly are we in this giant piece of paper with all of these numbers?" Sting sighed looking through the paper again.

"I'll tell you if you strike a deal with me."

"You'll tell me or I'll throw you overboard."

"We both know that you would never do that to me in the first place."

"We can try, I have plenty of rope to go get you later."

"And I'm sure you would, but you still wouldn't have the coordinates you need to arrive properly." Rogue tested as Sting looked towards him the sign that he was about to begin to start grumbling already surfacing within his eyes.

"I left _her_ behind. I left our little sister behind in a town full of lunatics. Just work with me for ten minutes, I'm enraged right now Rogue, work with me." Sting begged barely managing to keep control of his anger in an attempt to not hunt down the nearest stranger to punch out of their wits. A quest that wouldn't forebode well for Sting, who was on his own ship in the dead center of nowhere.

"Close enough to an apology," Rogue sighed flipping the map again "for starters you shouldn't be doubting yourself while reading maps; the map was right side up in the first place. Second, she always kept a marker of where we're at, at the current moment in time." Rogue sighed pulling a little tac out and moving it several paces up.

"So what was it that you wanted to strike a deal for?" Sting asked as Rogue's eyes glanced towards Sting and then back out towards the ocean once again.

"I won't make a deal where I'll force her to stay on the ship. Besides there's rumors of FairyTail's ship being where we are heading. I want to make a deal of not returning her to that place." Rogue said as Sting glanced away the blue eyes reflecting the ocean as the ship captain seemed to be deep in thought.

"There shall be no promises. I can not promise that everyone will make it to land on this very night. There is a storm approaching and we have no idea where we are to begin." Sting said.

"Be more confident in yourself. The day is clear, you shall be a responsible captain." Rogue glanced towards the sky that was completely clear with stars slowly beginning to pop out in the purple of dusk.

"Fine. She shall stay, but do not believe that this is the best decision you could have made."

"It's fine for me to make personal decisions sometimes even if they're a little reckless."

"It's not like you." Sting said quietly looking out towards the everlasting sea. He would've looked like an otherwise calm ship captain if not for his left hand hanging over the railing maring up the wood on the outside of the ship. That hand expunging the worry over the female he couldn't seem to find, eyes begging the sea gods and goddesses to release their "little sister" back to them. Rogue glanced towards Sting's hand knowing that it was no use to attempt to stop him anyway because he was just going to start again the minute he walked away.

"Since I can't get your attention on dinner, where's this girl sleeping?" Yukino asked coming up from below deck, her worry residing over the ship commanders not answering her over the topic that they are usually all over as Rogue blinked up at her.

"I left her in my room for now." Rogue sighed as Yukino shook her head.

"Obviously you two don't understand much. That girl, she she's an escaped slave. She's not going to want to bunk with you all night long."

"I was planning on sleeping on the floor."

"You'll probably find her on the floor already. I'll take her to my room, besides it's easier with two women in the same room." Yukino smiled as they all nodded coming to an agreement upon the fact that she may not want to go near them especially with the reasoning that the last town it was mostly men that ruled the town making the decisions within the wealthy areas of the ports. "Now that we're talking about it...did that port seem to lack a lot of women? Like there were some elderly women, and children running around but the port seemed to lack full-on adult women and teenage women." Yukino said glancing towards the back of the ship where there was nothing but ocean for miles

"We noticed." The captains whispered glancing at each other ideas of what had happened to the town echoing within their minds. "I don't think that's anything for you to worry about now." Sting smiled trying to reassure the white haired teen as she nodded scurrying off back to the dining hall before any remnants of dinner were scarfed down by the frenzying crew. Rogue glanced towards Sting who sighed. "We can't fix all of the world's problems, but we can keep at least one extra girl on our ship...but you're going to have to consider getting us a bigger ship." Sting grumbled.

"Isn't that your job to consider?"

"What happened to me not being in charge of the money?" Rogue had a faint smile trace its way onto his face remembering the last time Sting had all of the money he had spent it all on food and clothes. The investments weren't bad decisions, but he spent the money all at once. Since he spent the money all at once the food investment went to waste because the food was only good for so long there was too much to eat. They dropped off as much as they could off at the nearest broken down village but then went on their merry way before the officials found the pirates. Rogue walked down the hallway to find Yukino near his room opening the door slowly as if Cecilia wasn't a girl that was her age but instead a skittish little child.

"Hey, is your name Cecilia?" Yukino whispered as the girl appeared slowly at the door. The girl nodded slowly hesitatingly touching the door to open the darkened room further. "Rogue said that he thought you might be more comfortable sleeping within a girl's room instead." Yukino smiled offering Cecilia a hand. Cecilia glanced outside the hallway as Rogue felt himself draw back wondering what Cecilia's decision would be on her own.

"What's the matter? Aren't we heading to dinner?" Sting asked glancing around the corner as Rogue quickly and quietly pulled him back.

"I want to see what decision she'll make." Rogue stated pulling Sting back.

"Are you worried that, that girl won't accept you?" Sting teased as Rogue shot him a glare causing Sting to smirk. "I'm sure she'll figure out her way around a ship such as this." Sting said as he glanced towards Yukino who was steadily patiently waiting for the girl to learn to trust her. Cecilia slowly took Yukino's hand as she led her down the hallway. "Aren't you disappointed?" Sting teased as Rogue glanced towards Sting startling him.

"No, I think i'm happy that she's learning to trust our crew."

"Right. But hopefully she won't become too attached. Remember our deal."

"Don't think I can forget a deal like that." ' _She'll leave as soon as we're near a safe point.'_

"We'll probably be arriving soon anyway." Sting grumbled heading off towards the dinning hall. "Get some sleep." Sting said as they watched the girls head steadily down the hallway.

"Wake me for dinner."

"Never." Sting made his way quickly down towards the kitchen glancing inside the kitchen where the two girls were preparing dinner but the third was off towards the corner.

"Another girl on this ship? Where'd we pick her up?" Minerva growled from the table sharpening her weapons for the next upcoming battle.

"At the last town, Rogue seems to have grown attached to her." Sting said sitting down at the table as he watched the girls pass back and forth the utensils to make dinner. "Well, at least she seems to be good at something to help with." Sting breathed a sigh of relief his face becoming rather darker as he turned to Minerva. "Did you see Amanda? You were supposed to be on guard the night we lost her."

"You seem rather confused, how many days do you think it's been since you have seen her?"

"One?"

"Several, and I was just on guard last night, it's not my turn."

"Right."

"Besides, that girl Rogue picked up is creepy."

"In which way?" Sting said chugging one of his drinks down as Minerva rolled her eyes.

"You haven't realized it yet have you?"

"Of course I have, in due time" Sting said waving Minerva off as he glanced over towards the two girls.

"Ops, I forgot the lettuce." Yukino smiled as she put her utensils down moving towards the supply bin. "Where is it again?" Yukino said putting her hand in her almost white hair.

Sting jumped up within a massive panic. "Yukino, your hand!" Sting said grabbing for her before she could react. "How could you not notice this?" Sting gasped pulling Yukino towards the doorway. "Minerva! Get up and help me! She's _bleeding_ everywhere!" Sting shouted obviously in a frantic panic as he searched for the medical kit, Rogue opening the door.

"What happened? Were we attacked?"

"No, no, it was an accident. I wasn't paying attention to myself when I was chopping some of dinner. It's not as serious as Sting is making it out to be." Yukino defended as she was forced into a chair by the panicked ship captain. Sting pulled out some gauze slowly patting the blood down until he could add pressure on the wound.

"This is serious! What if it gets infected? We'll have to chop your whole arm off." Rogue criticized, while scrutinizing the problem, and drawing the only medicine kit that Sting was able to find from the cabinets.

"I'm telling you it's not that bad!"

"With our current medical equipment it is! We have no idea when the last time those were washed with actual clean water! We've only ever been able to clean them off with seawater so far!" Sting replied frustrated as Minerva sighed. "We don't know if it's threatening!"

"If you lose your arm it'll become a problem. You're the only one who knows, or wants to be bothered by, cooking a decent meal right now." Minerva mumbled from her seat at the table scanning over the bottle blonde. "We'll have to dock the ship." Minerva muttered glancing at the map hoping to find the nearest island, she threw the map off the table, they would have to do this old school. See an island and then land there. A few minutes later they were finally at that destination, thankfully whoever was in charge had already come with a few directions just in case anything were to happen.

"What town are we in?" Sting questioned as Minerva shrugged.

"Just go get the woman some fresh water before we have to remove her whole arm over a finger." Minerva scoffed before Sting nodded seeming to suddenly remembering the urgent task at hand. "And you, take that woman you brought home out for some proper clothes." Minerva denounced.

Rogue glanced towards her, "what about Yukino? What will I do in the time-"

"Sting's already on that. Just trust him, I don't think he'll honestly let anything happen to the only one in our crew capable of cooking a decent meal for more than one reason." Minerva shook her head as Rogue nodded.

"Watch the ship, I'll be back in an hour." He whispered already trudging off to where Yukino's quarters were kept. Not that far off from where Amanda's empty corners were, but that didn't matter much at the current moment. He knocked on the door only proceeding to slide the door open when no answer recoiled at his knock. "We're going on a trip." He explained watching the eyes of the girl scrutinize him over quickly. Checking for lies, they were looking for something dangerous in his being. Slowly the teenager stood up from where she sat waiting for Yukino's return in the middle of the room. Rogue pulled two of the cloaks from the wall nearest to the door of the boat, they had docked almost recently and any late night on-lookers would still be staring at their ship. He couldn't have either of them recognized now. Not when he had finally won over Sting's approval even if it was only a tiny amount. Rogue encircled Cecilia with the coat quickly tying it on before moving onto his own. She looked up towards him with puzzled eyes, making him remember to restrain himself. " _Don't look at her"_ A voice whispered realizing what he had just done. She was probably 100% capable of handling the cloak herself. "I just wanted to make sure it stayed on right." He muttered throwing his own hood up as they disembarked in the dusting of the early morning. It was still dark during their landing so only the rough crowd and drunkards had seen them land. Neither were going to be a reliable source to the town's people. They might be able to pass themselves off as traveling traders to this town before the townspeople realized they were pirates of their own standing. Rogue felt his sword at his side instinctively snapped into place as he watched the gate close, Yukino shaking her head at their ridiculous acts over a tiny cut, and Minerva at her side making sure that he had taken Cecillia with him to find proper fitting clothes for her.

The woman was still behind him in her light green jagged-no, torn-dress that barely covered her and the cloak that was wrapped around her almost covering her being. The teenager disappeared into the cloak almost seeming as if it were an extra coating of fur. "I'm sorry, I don't know any really good women's clothing stores." Rogue explained staring at the store they had just found. Honestly, he didn't know any good stores here currently. They had just landed and Amanda wasn't around to tell them exactly where they were and they didn't have time or the people who still had their senses about them to gather the intel of where they were and how rough the crowds were. Instead, for the first time in a long time he had to wander around a city without knowing the whereabouts. Cecilia stared down towards the clothing then back at him. "Look around, they are clothes for you." He explained receiving a bemused look. "I'll stand guard." He explained as she nodded, slowly reaching to search through the first articles of clothing as if testing each resource.

Rogue watched each girl browsing carefully through each piece of clothing, watching him as if he didn't belong in the store-which he didn't-but they were watching him as if they expected him to draw the sword carefully hidden at his waist any second. Familiar hair bobbed from the other end of the shelf. Rogue blinked that had to be her. "Amanda? Is that you?" Rogue asked trying to pull the girl from behind the pile of clothing in front of her face. Why was she hiding? Where was Sparks? Was she hiding behind from them because FairyTail was threatening her? Sting wouldn't hear of this, he would rage to the point the entire port burned as if it were midday in the brink of midnight. "No, you've got the wrong person." Her voice came back to him loud and clear. That was definitely her voice, and she was afraid...of him. Rogue felt a growl rising in his throat with the thought of the female whom he had come to consider a little sister, that person who was so rebellious and adventurous she insisted on wandering around in her sleep, _that_ was the person he had come to know. Not the girl who hid behind blankets and let herself get tied down by threats instead of escaping with everything she wanted. "Where's Sparks? Do we need to rescue-"

"No!" The girl through a piece of clothing at him covering his face and with the slam of the door was already off into the street leaving him completely confused and frankly quite guilty looking.

"Sir, if you are going to continue your extracurriculars please do it outside." The manager asked walking up to him as Rogue shook his head.

"She was an old friend I've been looking for. I guess I was right to be worried."

"I don't think you have to worry about that girl. She's been coming and going for a little bit now." The manager laughed as Cecilia appeared behind him. Rogue glanced towards the manager struggling to demand a larger explanation with his eyes. "That's because she's under the protection of the famous FairyTail pirates now!" The manager smiled gleefully before turning to Cecilia, trying to deem if it was the right size, fit, and style for her. Rogue felt a pain boil in his chest. It was rising quicker than a burning cauldron, a hot pain like what Sting had described as the burning of the heart. An emotion. An emotion that made even the calmest sea serpents expose their fangs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rogue blinked his eyes open- it was his turn to watch the ship-he was sitting at the edge where the wood of the ship met the water. The boat rocked slightly in the faint moonlight, Cecilia's shadow quickly retreating into the lower bunkers of the ship. The outfit they had picked up consisted of a white skirt over laid with a black vest, and white ruffled sleeves down to her wrists. She was also equipped with boots that stomped her uneasiness in wearing the shoes clearly to his ears. Cecilia clicked the door shut the strum of her boots echoing to Yukino's room.

Rogue glanced at the texture awkwardly enwrapped around his hands. It was like she had never given someone something before. He smiled pulling the blanket further around himself. She had awkwardly placed it around him thinking she went unnoticed as he watched her through his eyelashes. It was at least some form of thank you. He glanced at the moon beginning to fade away. They would send Dobengal out for an exchange in shift soon.

It was nearly three a.m. when he spotted Cecilia again. He watched her through his eyelashes expecting her to come near him once again Instead she stared towards a metal clamp around the edge of the boat. Even if she wanted to leave she couldn't that metal didn't belong to their ship in the first place- Rogue snatched his sword up quickly making advances towards where she stood examining the unwelcome metal at the edge of the ship. "Cecilia, get back!" He shouted receiving the startled glance from the girl. She looked towards him already loosing grip with her boots about to fall overboard. No matter how fast he rushed he wouldn't be able to get to her in time. She was going to fall out of the ship. "Cecilia!" He shouted, it was his job to take care of her. He couldn't lose her on the first night that Captain Sting had agreed to let her stay amongst the ship's crew, also, he wasn't sure if she was able to swim on her own. Even if the tide was decent in the night he couldn't say how well she would handle the oceans with learning to swim and becoming under attack by enemy pirates at the same time. He found himself rushing towards her instead of hurrying to wake the crew hoping that somehow she could catch her before anything became disastrous with the enemy ship that was invading. "Sting, get up here!" Rogue shouted knowing that the crew wasn't able to hear his commotion from their sleeping quarters below the ship.

Footsteps echoed behind him, "who would've known that the almighty shadow pirate would eventually find someone that would make even the one-who-brings-nightmares drop his sword one day." The voice laughed mocking him as he turned slowly to the owner of the voice. A pirate of FairyTail. They were not only being invaded, they were being invaded by a pirate ship of a different class. One that was considerably a formidable enemy.

A voice snickered behind him, "if this woman's that important to you, you wouldn't have let her fall overboard in the first place. Also, you would've never dropped your weapon if you were afraid of something like this." Rogue glanced around it was dark and the moon was beginning to set he needed to know who he was surrounded by. Were they members of FairyTail he could take on his own? He would have to. Rogue edged his foot near his sword, if he could just pick his sword up he would be able to defend them both. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you. Now be a good little night pirate and stay still." The voice near the edge of the boat whispered swinging up a sword near Cecilia's neck. "If you call for the rest of your crew then you'll be in more than a boatload of trouble." Rogue grinded his teeth. They were already in a boatload of trouble they were being invaded and he was going to be forced to make a decision he knew he didn't want to be making.

Rogue grinded his teeth, "isn't this unlike the crew of FairyTail, I thought taking hostages was purely against their policies. Oh wait, you already have one of ours to begin with don't you?" Rogue shouted resisting the urge to spin around to whoever was behind him.

"FairyTail has no idea what you're talking about." The FairyTail's captain shouted from the top deck. Rogue frowned that would give him a gist of which crew members had invaded them. It was his unlucky day. That would mean the elite members of FairyTail had decided to attack them.

Rogue took a breath he would have to stall them somehow, "Where is she? I saw her the other night! She hurried away with you!"

The captain of FairyTail shook his head tiny pink hairs sticking out from underneath his cap, "we only had someone we rescued from the shore in town! She was injured because of SaberTooth's raids on the villages! We can also tell that woman doesn't belong to your ship!" Captain Natsu glared towards him.

Rogue felt his eyes flash in the moonlight, his foot instinctively drawing the sword up to his hand as he whipped it around to whoever had Cecilia in the darkness,"meet my demands or these people will die." Rogue shouted.

The captain of the FairyTail's ship eyes widened, a frown increased on his face. "You're telling me you'll kill them both?" Natsu asked a hand tightening on the swords in his hand. He was planning on combatting Rogue himself, if Rogue was completely serious. Rogue felt himself swallow this was a gamble he would have to take. He could feel the heat from Cecilia's breath already appearing on the sword that he had swung towards her. He wouldn't waver he couldn't or they would all know it was a ruse. She was afraid, they were afraid, and most of all he was the one that was afraid. He was outmatched with the life of his crewmates would slip out of his hands if he made a single wrong decision. He wasn't the shadow pirate that had devastated an entire ship because they had stolen his first treasure in one night for nothing. But this was FairyTail he was looking at, a whole 'nother level of pirates on their own. "How about you listen to our conditions before you decide it's worth killing at least two people over?" Natsu stated sitting on the railing near the door to the lower deck. The lower deck which kept the sleeping crew inside. He had turned his back to them, either he was mocking them, saying that he could beat every single one of them without looking, or he had determined Rogue to be a more painful adversary at the moment.

Rogue tightened his grip on his sword, what kind of conditions would someone have for the enemy ship, the rival group of pirates? Obviously, they were being taken over. He would probably have some sort of rules to make the pirates succumb to their rule. It wouldn't bode well for the pirate crew that was he was currently in charge of protecting.

"First, you shall not wake your crew, instead you are going to go over there and quietly sit while we look around the ship for what we need. Second, you shall not tell your crew we were here. And third, we are leaving with that woman." Natsu stated pointing at the female whose neck was currently right next to Rogue's blade.

His words tumbled out quicker than a waterfall, "You're not going to touch her." Rogue replied the words tumbling violently inside of his ribcage.

He watched the enemy-pirate put a hand over his mouth, sitting down on the railing once again, and then glanced at him, "you can put the sword down, we know already that you won't hurt her. I baited you." Natsu laughed at him. A sadistic smile crossed his face, "but we might, she means nothing to us." The captain tilted his head, jumping down from the balcony slamming on the ship's deck. "Now tell me, where's your captain? Last time I checked he had something that belonged to me." Natsu smiled. Rogue felt himself more coiled then a sea serpent in an underwater volcano. He was going to suffocate by their demands and threats.

Rogue glanced down at his sword, he would have to give her life up for the rest of his crew, that was what he was supposed to do. Rogue flipped the sword in his hand so the blade faced Natsu and jammed it into the man who was keeping Cecilia hostage's face. Rogue grabbed Cecilia's hand pulling her closer in a violent motion, receiving a crack of a smile from Natsu. He was definitely planning on teasing him if he lived any longer on this ship. But Natsu wouldn't get the chance. "Cecilia, get Sting." He explained as Cecilia nodded already following in his footsteps clumsily running into the cabin while Rogue blocked Natsu's entrance. "I guess jumping down wasn't such a good idea." Natsu laughed running a hand through his pink hair, "hey Gray! I thought you were supposed to take care of any mistakes I make! Isn't that what backup pirates are supposed to do for their captains!" Natsu shouted.

"I'm not anyone's _backup pirate!_ " The man titled Gray shouted back. Her footsteps faded into the distance as another pair of feet sped their way up.

The door slammed open, "I just saw Cecilia running down the halls in a panic! What happened?" He shouted as he unequipped both of his swords that were already prepared for the watch. Always reliable Dobengal preparing to be under attack on any night. "We're under attack?" Dobengal whispered as Rogue nodded. What else? No, they were just having a normal night drinking affair, how could he be mistaken with all of these swords drawn they were for the wine bottles and jugs that they weren't able to open previously.

"Where's your captain?" Natsu asked already clashing swords with Rogue as they attempted to use the pressure to back each other into corners.

Rogue glanced towards Dobengal already instinctively watching his back, "don't watch my back! Don't let them get to the door!" Rogue shouted watching the younger pirate nodded before changing his tasks quickly. Rogue felt a slight smile attempt to push its way to his face, it was somehow relieving to know that someone would always have your back in back especially on instinct. The SaberTooth ship was built off of many people like that and many people of different origins that meant different people with many capabilities. Rogue could feel Natsu was slowly beginning to over-power him in the sword fight, "where is she?" Rogue mocked placing his hand against the blade to give extra support, it was slowly cutting into his hand.

"Talk about a double-edge" Natsu shook his head at him. He knew how dangerous what Rogue was doing, yet it was something that had won Rogue many battles. Rogue swung his foot around dragging Natsu to the deck by shock. He would have to win this before any of the others from his crew were able to hurry to the deck. Rogue pinned Natsu down keeping his feet on Natsu's chest, he could feel himself panting struggling with the enemy pirate for every second, even the tiniest second of leeway where he would be able to catch his breath. He would need it to defeat the notorious captain of FairyTail. Not only was the captain of FairyTail known for his fighting abilities, they were a crew known for taking out other crews when they decided they wanted something from them. FairyTail had taken out PhantomLord, Twilight Ogre, and various other crews throughout the last several months all in a short time period. In other words, the FairyTail crew was on a rampage defeating other crews for no known reasons, yet. "Where is he?" Natsu asked again even under his crushed ribcage able to hold a conversation.

Rogue felt a growl rumble up his throat, "you won't find out."

Natsu cracked the slightest of smiles before flipping them over pinning Rogue down onto the deck, "oh I'd say some might say otherwise." Natsu laughed as Rogue found himself reaching for his sword. The elder pirate was too heavy to combat in a wrestling match he had misjudged his situation he could feel himself losing the brawl the cool air quickly turning into something that was burning and a struggle to absorb as the FairyTail captain jammed a knee into his throat.

"Rogue!" Dobengal shouted already trying to retrieve him. He needed to stop Dobengal or he would be in danger. Dobengal needed to pay attention to his own surroundings first and defend himself before he could rescue him or they would both be in grave peril.

The door to the deck slammed open, "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Sting shouted his blazing eyes resting on Natsu.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The captain of the SaberTooth ship slammed himself against the captain of the FairyTail ship, sending them into a tussle that rolled down the stairs and in-between three other fights which each of the fighters quickly jumped out of their way. "Who's ship do you think that you're on?" Sting asked glaring towards the invading ship captain.

"I know exactly who's ship I'm on, I'm looking for something that you've taken from me." Natsu spat. Sting grinded his teeth struggling for the upper-hand in in the duel, Rogue scuffled for his sword that was skidding a crossed the floor in the mix throughout the entire fight. A weapon would give him an advantage versus fighting barehanded.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Cecilia dart towards below deck, to her, they were now all considerably enemies. She was most likely looking for a place to hide from them all until she could escape to the land. "Tch" He felt a sound that he had long trained out of himself, one that had been unconsciously conditioned into his being, rumble up vibrating against his teeth.

"And here I thought you didn't learn anything at all from me." A familiar voice mocked from behind him, Gajeel. A man that he had known as a young lad. A man's influence that he probably could've done without. Without Gajeel he could've had a life, one with both his parents and a pathway to a decent class in the world. Instead because of Gajeel he was thrust into this world of constantly running from the law that he should've been and hunting for the next hour's meal. During a raid on his home town when he was just a lass, Gajeel had ruined his happy life with simple little things like promises. Fame? Fortune? How about never having to worry about your family having diseases ever again? Gajeel had said the life of a pirate promised all this and more. Gajeel had enticed him with tiny whispers of a devil.

And he had followed him with a brilliant smile on his face. "Stay back." Rogue growled reaching for another sword, he would need all of his defenses and attacks if he were going to survive the person who had taught him how to fight. In other words: he would have to struggle to win over the man who had known his every movement and opening.

Rogue watched as a grin split up Gajeel's face, "so who's the girl?" he asked shooting a look towards Cecilia who had been cornered by other members of FairyTail, new one's since the last time he had seen the crew, who were currently being blocked from getting to her by Dobengal. He could understand the had just picked up in short it meant they didn't know the length of her fighting abilities, if she could fight, or even if they could even trust her. Rogue felt his breath hitch in his throat-Gajeel was either planning on teasing him or hurting her-just like old times.

"Get away from us." Rogue growled tightening his grip on his handle. Gajeel looked down towards the blood already running down Rogue's hand.

"You've already tried to use that? There's no point if you lose your hand in the process." Gajeel scoffed at him whipping out another blade throwing Rogue off balance with the hidden weapon. "What did I teach you? _Always, always_ have an extra weapon on you. Or you are going to lose a gut just like you are tonight." Gajeel laughed, another grin tracing its way onto his face. "Get away from us." He mocked. "Even when you found Sting it was always just 'me' why was that? Because Sting could defend himself? Did you find Sting an equal? Or is it something else-"

"Like you'd understand anything like that." Rogue shouted, the clash of the swords echoed against each other once again.

"Give it back to me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about! But you're free to return Weisslogia's precious treasure to me!" Sting shouted. Chaos ensued below the deck as duets of people clashed swords while attempting to avoid fatal injury by carrying their duels away from the two captain's bloodbath that layered the deck. The sound of crashing layered the deck as the captains played cat and mouse with each other in the chaos, tangle of swords, and clashing bodies. "Where'd he go? Find him!" Sting's voice radiated throughout the ship, he had lost his dueling partner which could be anywhere on the ship by now. Anywhere attacking another crew member which he wasn't sure was capable of defeating Natsu.

"Don't get distracted now, you've got to remember what's important!" Gajeel shouted sending Rogue stumbling back with the brute force of his sword. Rogue could feel himself skid against the wood of the deck, wood-burn and skid marks that would definitely hurt in the morning…but first he would have to defeat Gajeel to have a morning. The markings of the early morning battle still screaming in the night, they needed to end it soon or they would draw onlookers from the town that they were currently docked at. And civilian casualties would go higher then they needed to be and Sting would be angered that they were any in the first place as usual.

"Everyone is to put down any weapons at once!" A voice shouted as Rogue felt his eyes coil over towards where the voice resounded from. A slight twitching smile came from Gajeel as he flipped his sword into a defensive position waiting for Rogue to drop his sword first. Rogue glanced towards the voice, Natsu Dragneel of the FairyTail ship had taken a hostage. He watched as Cecilia struggled with attempting to pull Natsu's arm from away from her neck.

"You wouldn't." Sting glared.

"I might."

"That's nothing like the FairyTail we know, you wouldn't dare, you know she's an outsider that didn't belong to this ship in the first place." Sting growled from the bottom of the stairs where Natsu stood, Dobengal at his feet with what could only be described as a pulled hamstring still struggling to fight with his grasp on Natsu's ankle.

Natsu let a grimace escape him, "we're even matched tonight so far, if it's to protect my crew I will stoop to any level. Swords down." Natsu explained tightening his grip on Cecilia.

"Don't you do this. I will come for her and I will make your crew suffer." Sting threatened receiving a smile from Natsu.

"And we will be waiting for you then." Natsu shouted backing out slowly with his crewmates receding all around him as if they were instinctively forming a shield for him, Rogue grinded his teeth as he watched Natsu attempt to drag Cecilia off of the ship instead deciding that with her inability to walk in her booths to carry her instead. That and she was continuously attempting to drag her feet by digging the heels into the wood as if some way to combat him on her own. And then they were gone into the rising sun's light.

Rogue slammed his hand against the deck as the crew struggled to recuperate, gather their weapons and count the injuries with their conditions. "Why, why didn't she call out to me? I was right here." Rogue growled his nails curling under the wood as Sting sat next to him, aggravation glowing in his eyes.

"I would consider this a loss." The pirate captain growled, not only were they injured but they had also invited an upcoming duel.

"But why…. why couldn't she at least try to trust me." Rogue whispered attempting to ignore the blade at her throat in the beginning of the battle, a feint like that was something for people who trusted you or you had known for a very long time not a woman you had just met. Sting placed a hand on his shoulder shaking his head at him, "I asked you if we could keep her here…" He whispered.

"Rogue, Cecilia can't speak. She's mute."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Yukino watched the crew quickly gather the supplies to leave the port before the villagers woke up to the disaster from the previous night on the docking ports. Each of the crewmates were rushing around to do their jobs before they were caught, it would ruin their reputations here and the townsfolk would find out they were one of the larger pirate-crews. Which meant they wouldn't be able to freely walk in town by themselves anymore. And even the younger folk of a pirate crew wanted a personal life to themselves sometimes.  
She felt her eyes move towards where the pirate-captains sat, in their discussion of that dawn's battle. If they were to win the next upcoming clash with FairyTail they would need to take the advantage, and it was their job to figure out how. Rogue glanced at Sting, Rogue's hands tightly knit together with the glare on his face and unmistakable annoyance blooming on his face. "But Sting, how do you know that?" Rogue whispered obviously still scrutinizing the situation that had recently been revealed to him.  
Sting shook his head, "Yukino told me, they were bunking together." Rogue glanced at him trying to persuade him to further explain without words. "She was trying to hold conversations with Cecilia and Cecilia somehow demonstrated that she couldn't speak. Yukino's been struggling to teach her to write…if you don't notice the sums of our money going towards books and paper lately." Sting grumbled glaring towards the sunrise. The sign that they would have to leave. "Anyway we've got to recuperate. Don't try to go after her on your own." Sting said with a pat on Rogue's back before Sting hurried off to help the crew with the deeds to leave done.

Rogue nodded, the grimace on his face showing. He was a member of this crew, they had to come first. He grinded his teeth, how had they even known they were docked? How did they know that SaberTooth was in the same town as they were? His thoughts traced to their navigator that he had seen in the store early in the previous day….the navigator, Amanda, quickly scurrying to Natsu's side. Had she betrayed them? Rogue felt his hands tighten on each other, "Sting" Rogue sighed watching the ship captain's attention turn to him, he was already concerned with the other crew members. He didn't need to worry about any more for their upcoming battle. Rogue shook his head as Sting retreated back into making preparations to leave. He should've seen this coming. He had known FairyTail was in town but decided they weren't that stupid and would leave immediately. A poor decision made by him. Rogue would have to find her on that ship and discover the truth himself before Sting even knew that she was with them. If she truly had betrayed them he would have to know why himself straight from the little-sleepwalker's lips. And he would have to deal with the answer equally, Sting was too soft on her if that was the truth, he would have to deal with her before Sting could make up any excuses for the girl. Rogue frowned, there was a possibility that he was about to lose many things. The girl he had considered his little sister, people from his crew, his most precious treasure…..and Sting's trust. All of those things could be lost in one fatal blow all in a single night. There was a high possibility that the FairyTail crew was still docked they would take longer to get back to the ship, they were a rowdy crowd. Not that hard to find in a town so-full of bars. He glared towards the swords he had stolen in the previous town by a supposed accident he had taken one of the finer swords. It was made by an expert craftsman it had a fine blade and the inner placings were made of diamond. The sword must've been sturdy. If he picked up the sword now he could probably make it to the FairyTail ship in time and rescue at least one of the girls. Another grimace took place on his face, if he was forced to choose who would he save?

A pair of light blue slippers appeared in his vision as he glanced towards the bottled-blonde standing in front of him, "after being so out-of-character and selfish for how you've been all week don't you think you're being a little too hesitant now?" Yukino smiled. "Besides if anyone has the right to be selfish right now I think that'd be you. I've seen you staring at one of our finest swords."

He shook his head, "Sting said not to be rash, we need to plan this raid together."

Yukino sighed shaking her head as she moved so that she could block his sight of the ship's deck, "Rogue, it's not a raid of FairyTail you want. It's a rescue mission".

Rogue grinded his teeth, she wasn't exactly right yet she wasn't exactly wrong either. Rogue grabbed his wrist tightening his grip around the other. Oh yes. He wanted to go to war with FairyTail no matter how terrible of an idea that was at the time, even if he had to go himself. At the same time, he also wanted to rescue Cecilia. It was, in a way, his fault that she was kidnapped. They probably wouldn't have even thought twice about her if he wasn't trying to pay attention to her at the same time during battle. Or maybe he should've paid extra attention to her during the battle. If only he was paying attention to the rest of his crew during even before the battle…they wouldn't have been in this position in the first place. They could've escaped or he could've made sure the crew was prepared for the attack. It was his fault for not collectively 'ringing the bell' or waking anyone up for help.

Yukino placed a hand down on his, "it could've been any of us on watch tonight. Dobengal was supposed to take over at that time…I held him up because I couldn't reach something." She whispered as he scrutinized her bandaged hand. It wasn't a wound from a battle but some first-aid they had forced on her because of typical carelessness. She was probably changing out the bandages that they had forced upon her earlier in the night because she cut herself making dinner. A simple act of carelessness because Sting was talking to her if he remembered right, carelessness on his end is what had gotten the rest of his crew bandages.

He needed to fix this before anyone else on his crew wound up injured. "Yukino, tell Sting I'll be back when he starts asking for me." Rogue whispered receiving a startled look from the white haired girl. "No one else needs to be involved, all's I'm going to do is rescue Cecilia and then we'll flee."

She blinked at him, "are you sure?" He nodded in reply. "Okay, but you've only got two hours." She whispered without another word he was on his feet and off the deck in the chaos, a sword strapped to his belt and he was going to be picking up another and a few ingredients for some smoke bombs along the way. Tonight would be lit up in an array of fireworks. Namely from FairyTail's ship.


End file.
